Mailbag:

Thank you so much for the wonderful article on Gina Kantzabedian, her shop, Animal Crackers Pet Supply, and the marvelous work she does on behalf of the animals (“Rescues Endangered,” May 22.)

I have watched Gina over the years since she bought the store turn around the lives of hundreds of abandoned and forgotten animals whose plight no one else would have bothered with. I have seen her sell all her jewelry to pay for the eye operation of one little cocker in hopes of saving her eyesight. There is no end to Gina’s generosity on behalf of needy animals. I am delighted you chose to tell those in Laguna who don’t know of her and her work her story.

It is important for the people of Laguna to know about residents such as Gina whose work and efforts benefit all of us and improves our community greatly.

If Gina is forced to close her doors we all lose. If she can no longer support her nonprofit with her store’s income, then all of those animals she could help will no longer find the help and love of someone such as herself.

I only hope that people read and react by supporting her store and her wonderful nonprofit. Who knows, maybe even someone in town would have a piece of property they could loan her where she could construct a facility where she could house many more of these homeless little ones. Miracles do happen sometimes!

MARLENE DANTZER

Laguna Beach

Disappointed by pet rescue policy

I am responding to your recent article “Rescues Endangered” (May 22).

I respect what Gina Kantzabedian is trying to do for all the pets that she rescues. I find it admirable that someone would make it their life’s mission to take care of animals that have otherwise run out of options.

What I don’t respect however, is the manner in which she goes about this mission. Her purpose in taking in animals is to “rescue adoptable pets and place them with loving families.”

My family has experienced firsthand that what she practices and what she preaches are two very different things. We recently went to Gina’s store in hopes of adopting a dog. When we spoke to her, she asked us why we wanted a dog and also inquired some specifics about our family — did we have kids, how old were they, had we had a dog before this — all seemingly reasonable questions.

She then asked us to fill out an application so that she could contact us for her weekend meet and greet, a time where potential dog owners could come and interact with the pets she had available.